Family Planning Tasmania celebrated 50 years of service in July 2023.
It is with immense pride and gratitude that we announce the 50th anniversary of Family Planning Tasmania, on 18 July 2023. This milestone is not just a measure of our longevity, but also a testament to the tremendous impact we’ve made in our community and the support we’ve received over the past half-century.
We started with one employee in 1973, and have grown to have over 60 employees across three locations in Tasmania.
The week of 17 – 21 July 2023 was marked with a series of celebrations across our locations, including the prestigious reception hosted by Her Excellency Governor Barbara Baker AO at Government House. The event was a wonderful blend of reflection on our past and anticipation of our future, attended by our dedicated staff, Board members, life members, and supporters. It was poignant to have representatives from all three major political parties in Tasmania, demonstrating the multi-partisan support for our organisation, and sexual and reproductive health in Tasmania. Thank you to Attorney General the Hon. Elise Archer MP, Leader of the Tasmanian Greens Rosalie Woodruff MP, and Sarah Lovell MP for celebrating with us.
At the Government House reception, Her Excellency gave a speech, marking this important milestone, as did Board Chair, Craig White and CEO, Lalla Mackenzie. During her speech, our CEO, Lalla Mackenzie, outlined our strategic vision for the future. Inspired by our past achievements, we are committed to building upon our legacy, continually improving our services, and extending our reach so that everyone in our community, regardless of their circumstances, has access to the quality sexual and reproductive health services they need. It was wonderful to have a co-founder and inaugural CEO of Family Planning Tasmania there on the night, Pat Mavromatis to participate in celebrations and share reflections over nibbles. It’s vital that we reflect on our history and on how far we’ve come as an organisation and a society more broadly, to inspire us to keep moving forward. There is always more work to be done and more change to be made.
Image gallery below: happy snaps taken on the night.
We also held “Coffee, Cupcakes and Chats” sessions at each of our locations as part of our anniversary celebrations. The enthusiasm and camaraderie displayed during these sessions mirrored our collective commitment to our cause. From Burnie to Launceston, and Glenorchy, we saw our staff, community and supporters come together to celebrate this important milestone.
Our success over the past 50 years is due to the tireless efforts of countless individuals. We want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to our staff, Board members, life members, and everyone else who has supported us throughout our journey. Your dedication and support have made Family Planning Tasmania what it is today.
As we mark this significant milestone, we are also excited about our future. We are committed to maintaining the high standards we have set in sexual and reproductive health services, as well as to continue championing for policy changes to improve access and inclusivity.
We are so grateful to everyone who joined us in celebrating this golden milestone. Here’s to the next 50 years of Family Planning Tasmania – may we continue to grow, improve, and make a positive impact on our community.
Thank you for being part of our journey.
Family Planning Tasmania Team.
Image gallery below: photos from the Coffee, Cupcakes and Chats sessions around the state.
